What Happened
Regulatory Action Targets Excessive Horizontal Stabilizer Freeplay
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an airworthiness directive for certain Boeing 737 series airplanes, citing excessive horizontal stabilizer freeplay as a potential safety risk. The directive, which affects 1,987 airplanes of U.S. registry, requires compliance by November 23, 2026. The FAA estimates the cost of compliance to be $1,013,370. The directive was prompted by reports from multiple operators of pitch oscillation events due to excessive horizontal stabilizer freeplay, which could lead to a flutter event and loss of control of the airplane. This action was reported by the Federal Register.